Green Crops for Summer Soiling 



By J. B. LiNDSEY. 



CONTENTS. 



A. Pasturage and Pasture Grass. 



B. Desirable Green Forage. 



C. Fertilizers for Forage Crops. 



D. Feeding Forage Crops for Milk Production. 



E. Composition and Digestibility of Forage Crops. 



In 1901 the station presented a bulletin, No. 72, entitled Summer 

 Forage Crops, which contained a concise description of those green 

 crops best suited to the needs of Massachusetts farmers. The edi- 

 tion of this bulletin has long since been exhausted, and in response 

 to frequent inquiries the present bulletin is presented, containing the 

 results of our more recent experience at the station with this class of 

 crops. All of the fodder and fodder mixtures herein described have 

 been grown upon the grounds of the station and fed to the station 

 herd. They have been frequently analyzed, and in most cases their 

 digestibility determined. 



A. PASTURAGE AND PASTURE GRASS. 



It is believed that, whenever possible, dairy animals should 

 be pastured during live months of ihe year. The open air, sunlight 

 and exercise resulting are certainly most desirable and beneficial, 

 especially after the long confinement of the late autumn and winter 

 months. The change from dry feed io the succulent grasses and 

 herbs is likewise advantageous and acts as a tonic to the entire 

 system. 



Pasture grass is superior to most forage crops 



Superiority for the following reasons : (a) It contains pound 



of for pound more protein than the cereal fodders, 



Pasture Grass. the numerical relation of the protein to the 



carbohydrates (nutritive ratio) in the case of 



the former being as i to 5, while in case of the latter it is from i to 



8 to I to 12. (b) Pasture grass contains less woody fiber than the 



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